It’s not IPO – but close enough and a great value for fans of power pop music. Five bands for five dollars! All at The Baggot Inn on December 15th at 9:00pm. Bands expected to attend are:

• 9 PM Eytan Mirsky
• 10 PM Jon Caspi Band
• 11 PM Andy Mac
• 12 mid The Anderson Council
• 1 AM The Brand

This is a welcome sequel to the IPO festival that was earlier in November. As related event – one of the big hits the night I was there was Buddy Love. They are returning to The Baggot Inn on December 29. These are great opportunities to see some great NY bands at a real bargain.

If you remember the movie “DIG” (2004) – it chronicled the rise and fall of The Brian Jonestown Massacre. In the group, there was a dude with the muttonchops who used to do nothing but play tambourine and make the rest of the band look hip. His name was Joel Gion. Well, he’s got his own band now called The Dilettantes, often referred to as a “California psyche-pop ‘n’ roll” band. After a few listens I have to give props to the great riffs by guitarist Jefferson Parker and he makes Joel look great. Like the BJM, “101 Tamborines” have a distinct sound that merges the best Byrdian, Stonesian sixties ethos with today’s neo-psyche indie vibrations. Every song here has a memorable guitar riff, like “Brightly Lit New Dark Ages” and the energetic opener “Ready To Go.” It took me a while to get used to Joel’s vocals which bring to mind the bastard child of Lou Reed and Bob Dylan. Some songs it works great, like “Don’t You Ever Fall” but on other songs like “Everlasting Low” it’s downright grating. Sometimes songs fall into a very trippy groove, like “Marzipan” but are missing the hooks. Other tracks, like “Kiss and Run” are positively smokin’. Overall the album is refreshingly upbeat and better than more recent BJM efforts. It’s worth checking out.

My Space | Amazon | Itunes

Listen to “Ready to Go”

Ian Axel is a singer/songwriter in the classic Ben Folds tradition. He has a great voice and a EP full of melodic songs that reflect his outlook on life’s experiences. Other reviewers have mentioned that Ian’s voice is “so clean and unaffected that it adds to his authentic feel, striking straight at the heart.” Ian Axel’s song “We Are” has placed in the top 12 of the NY Songwriters Circle songwriting competition. He has an introduction video on YouTube that pretty much says it all. Check it out. Get his tracks on itunes – he is a star in the making.

Ian Axel Website | MySpace | Itunes

Shawn Fogel is a versatile one-man band who, like Donnie and Marie, is a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll. His latest EP is “One Day in the Desert” and it plays like a version of The Jayhawks with a little Beach Boys thrown in. In fact, his DIY approach reminds me of Milkshake Jones a little bit. Go to the My Space site and listen to “ADD” which is a sure fire power pop hit. I can’t wait for the full length album.

Shawn Fogel Website | My Space

Steven LeBeau is an unsigned musician from from Palo Alto, California. He is currently working on his demo album and has a real Todd Rundgren influenced sound. Since he is still interning at a recording studio and learning Pro Tools, I expect he is doing everything from the singing, playing, mixing, etc. (Just like Todd!) Listen to his single “Rebound Girl” – and encourage young talent!

My Space

[Editors Note: I’m proud to have the help of “Mike Z” as a guest reviewer for Powerpopaholic. Here is his first review.] Good news! This album is a great example of power pop: three chords and nice hooks are the rule for this Massachusetts trio. Bad news! If it is true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then this act is going to be waiting a long time for its thank you notes from Juliana Hatfield, No Doubt, Liz Phair, and Veruca Salt, et al. Still, itʼs a decent effort. This might be a band to keep your eye on. In the meantime, you won’t regret it if you throw this CD in your car stereo on the highway with a friend.

– Mike Z

[For the most part I think Mike is right, but some standouts tracks are here too. “City Is Closed” has a pretty decent hook that will keep your attention. “The Offering” has some good buzz guitar along with it’s harmonies and is another highlight. “Between Us” is a a lost Liz Phair track if ever there was one. If you enjoy any of the female lead bands above, this will tide you over until those artists actually put out something new.]

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